Part 4

The Slumber 1.3

Brisk steps led him to where his two best friends were, in the woods nearby where they used to play and just hang out. As he neared the meeting place, he caught a glimpse of the small clearing from a distance, but saw no one there. Where they late? He himself was late as it is, surely Lothar and Llane would have been here already? As he stepped closer, he heard rustling leaves and immediately turned around to look. Nothing was there, just the road he just took, not even a bird in sight. He crept nearer and nearer to the clearing, and once more he heard rustling noises. Confident that his mind was playing tricks on him, he strode forward and found a sitting place for himself.

Medivh, although cautious of his surroundings after that near-fatal troll attack near Duskwood, felt at ease as he settled down and wondered where his companions were. Suddenly he saw something, or someone ahead of him, near enough to be visible, but far enough away to not be recognizable. There were two silhouettes making their way through the dense jungle foliage. What he recognized was the being was walking upright, a humanoid, thought Medivh. Could it be his friends? Why were they coming from this direction anyway? Then suddenly the two figures then suddenly crept low, and in a split second it looked as if they jumped up and disappeared into the trees above.

Sure that the two figures he just saw were not his friends, he looked over his shoulder and saw his two friends running down the well-worn road leading to where he was. Medivh turned himself around and rushed at them as they did to him, and just as he took his first steps, down jumped two things from the trees.

Trolls!!

Trolls, humanoid beings from the south, were tall, much taller than humans, and much slimmer. They were known to be masters of the jungles, and their reputation for cannibalism was known throughout Azeroth. They were also known to keep “trophies” of their kills around their necks in the form of a bone necklace, and sometimes piercings on their ears and nose. Their wardrobe were basically a dirty loin cloth and… that’s about it really. Pointed noses and ears characterize the trolls, with long thin limbs, and they hunch when walking, or even standing straight. This pair had to be a scouting party, as they had some supplies tied to their waists, some food and water perhaps.

Why the trolls were so far up north as Elwynn Forest, none of the three humans present knew. But what they knew was that they had to fight to get out of this situation, and hopefully not as dangerously fought as their single previous encounter with trolls.

Medivh was separated from Lothar and Llane, the trolls between them, but nonetheless they prepared to do battle with the trolls. Lothar lifted his long sword, as did Llane his axe. The magician began to run possible spells through his mind, deciding which to use and how, and the time needed to cast them in a certain situation. Should he use the humble fireball? Or should he shoot lightning from his fingers? Or should he just turn and run?